Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-07-22
FARM AND GARDEN.
WASHING MILK PALS.

/
II is assumed that oil course the milk
pail should be thoroughly washed night
and morning. and as soon as possible
after the COW is MIXED. At this season
n slight neglect IN this matter will soon
make the milk unfit TO use. Half of
the complaints Of city milk are due TO
careessness in han''lng it, and especi-
ally IN cleaning the cans in which it is
carried around for sale.
CULTIvATING CORN EARLY.
1t is not enough that corn is finally
freed from weeds. The best way to do
this is to begin early while weeds are
small; but there is also further adj
vantage in early cultivation in stirring
the soil, making it warmer and dryer,
and also increasing It's available fertili-
Ity. This is even more important than
thorough late cultivation to keep the
overheated soil moist by condens ne
the moisture of the air
KOUMIss As 4 DRINK
The Iartars make an Intoxicating
drink from the fermentation OF the
milk from the + mares, which is saved
for that purpose. This m Tx has more
sugar in it than that from the COW, and
consequently produces more alcoholic
/ liquor Unless sugar S added while
fermentation is IN process. koumiss
made from cows milk must be regard
, ed As harmless beverage. but so UNI
inviting to the appetite OF a lover of
alcohol that one would almost as soon
attempt to become intoxicated by
! buttermilk.
TRANSMITTING SOD.
The best time to transplant sod is in
early Spring. The bed in which the
sod is to be placed should be mel
low and rich enough for the roots
to thrive in. but without fresh manure
If it is desired to apply manure. put
a little on after the sod is planted.
This will have wonderful effect in
protecting the sod from drying out. If
the transplanting is deferred until late,
cut the grass as close as possible with
! the lawn mower before the sod is taken
up from where It grew. Every surplus
leaf helps to evaporate moisture before
the transplanted grass roots can supply
it.
soURING OF FOOD FOR PIGS.
1t is generally believed by farmers
that pigs do better on grain that has
begun to ferment. and has even turned
sour. Although the swill barrel is not
a very pleasant adjunct near a house
III warm weather, yet it serves a valua-
bic purpose, saving for food much that
otherwise would be thrown away, and
probably become more offensive than if
kept and fed to the pigs. The sourin g
of meal or grain added to swill makes
1t more digestible, and this more than
offsets the slg chit loss of nutritive 7alue
which occurs when decomposition
begins.
Narrowing CORN,
With the slanting tooth horrows all
the small weeds may be destroyed in
corn until the plants are six or eight
inches high, and without pulling up
enough to damage the crop. This
plan S better adapted to corn in drills
than in hills. 1t is generally drilled too
thickly, so that the occas onal pulling
up OF stalk by drag tooth makes
the crop better. If the field is soddy
or stony, and the corn be planted in
/ hills, il is possible that an entire hill
may be taken, and this would leave to
wide Il vacancy on either side. But
the adjoining hills would ear better, so
there would be little less of grain even
in such a case.
LICE ON SITTING HENS.
When the hen is set, her feathers
should be filed with insect powder TO
destroy lice. While she is inactive on
the nest lice breed rapidly. as she does
not rid herself of them by scratching
| in the Dirt, as she viii at other times.
/ 1t is the lice rather than continent
/ that makes sitting hens grow poor so
rapidly. Sometimes they will even Kill |
the hen on the nest or If they don't,
they will be ready to attack and kill
the chicks as soon as out of the shell.
Kill the lice while the hen is sitting.
No better time can be desired, as if
then freed from them, she will not soon
ret them on her again by running with
other poultry.
PROTECTING CUCUMBER PLANTS.
All the melons and vines. including
the cucumber and squash, require hot
weather to thrive well, and are badly
dwarfed by chilly nights in early
Spring. While small they are easily
protected from cold at night by a box
with a cloth cover, and if the latter is
made movable it is a good plan to have
the box around the plants through the
the day, as it is a great protection
against cold winds. The sunlight strik-
ing against the box is reflected against